Fish eviscerating apparatus



July 26, 1949. T. H. BRADLEY 2,477,158 FISH EVIISCERATING APPARATUS Filed March 12, 1945 I 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

T. H. BRADLEY 2,477,168

FISH EV ISCERATING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 26, 1949.

Filed March 12, 1945 ATTORNEY.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 12, 1945 FlELEi INVENTOR. 71796. H. 8124045) WWW-0K ATTORNEY.

Patented July 26, 1949 UNITED ES l' l tlCli.

FISH EVISCERAT ING APPARATUS Thomas .H. Bradley, Montercy,1-Caltf;

Application March 12, 1945, SerialNo. 582,251.

This invention relates to machines-for eviscerating fish.

It is the principal object of my present/invention to provide an improved and simplified automatic apparatus for rapidly, economically and eificiently eviscerating'fish, in which apparatus the visceral cavity of thefish is-subiected to an air evacuating actionwhich effectsthe evisceration.

In practicing my invention, I provide an apparatus which includes a vacuum chamber having an evi-scerating suction port. The apparatus also includes mechanism'for conveying'fish successively into register with that port in a continuous operation after such fishhave been severed transversely to expose an end of the visceralcavity. A- valve mechanism is provided which operates synchronously with the fishconveying means so that the said port of the vacuum chamber is automatically opened during the registry ofthe open end'cf the visceral cavity of the fish therewith so as to effect eviscerationxof the fish, and the delivery ofthe'viscera into the vacuum chamber. The latteris provided with a discharge mechanism for automatically discharging the viscera therefrom without opening vacuum chamber'to the atmosphere.

Oneform which the invention'may assume is exemplified in the following description and illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of an-apparatus embodying the preferred form ofmy invention.

Fig. 2" isa view infront elevation thereof;

Fig; 3 is a plan section-taken on line" 3 --3 of Fig: 1.

Fig. 4 isa vertical sectionalview'taken online [-4 of Fig. 2; V

Fig. 5i1's-a:-p1anview of the apparatus.

Fig; dis a fragmentary view in section taken on line6li ofFig. l.

Fig. 'T'is-adiagrammatio view diagrammatically illustrating the drive of the various operating parts.

Referring more particularlyto the accompanying drawings; 10' indicates a preferred'form of apparatus for practicing my invention. This apparatusis utilized for eviscerating fish such as Monterrey sardines-and for" this reasonit must beand iscapable of large production so that the evisceration may be economically accomplished.

The apparatus includes avacuumchamber H in this instance-shown as cylindricalandwhich has itsupperendclesed byaheadmemberl2:

3 Claims. (01. use) The lower end of the vacuum chamber II is formed with: a discharge throat M, the lower end of which is fitted with .a semi-cylindrical discharge housing. l5.. As-Will be noticedi'rom the drawings, this housing comprises a semi-cylindrical wall i fi'enclosedalt its ends by head members I1. The threat. M" of the vacuum chamber H projects into and is relatively fixed to the cylindrical wall It; as illustrated, so that when the-throat is open, any viscera contained in the vacuum chamber 11 may discharge downwardly through the-throat Nintothe'h'ousing IS. The bore ll? ofthe housing I5 is concentric to an axis whichis arranged'at ninety degrees to the axial center of the vacuum chamber H and intersects the same, as illustrated. A rotatable discharge member l9 nests within the housing It and its outer'periphery fits the bore Not that housing. The discharge member ill, in operation of the machine, continuously rotates and acts to receive and-discharge viscera from the vacuum chamber 1 I without opening the same to the atmosphere, as will be hereinafter more clearly described.

Adjacent" its upper end the vacuumchamber H is formed with aneViscerating suction port Zil'. Fixed toth'e vacuum chamber II and overlying the portiis a fixed slide valve seat plate 2 l through which the port 20 extends. This slide valve seat plate 2.! is provided with aslide valve seat 22 within which" a vertically reciprocable slide valve 231' is mounted; Fixed to the slide valve. seat plate 21' at the exterior side, thereof is, a fixed valve disc Nthroughwhich the port 20 likewise extends. Nesting; in thexfi'xedvalve disc 2c. is a rotary valve disc 25 rotatably, mountedon. a fixed'shalft 25, one end offwhichis. secured to and supported lnone wall ofthevacuumchamber H; as illustrated. Springmeansi] areprovided which constantly urgethe rotary valve disc 25' into firmcontact withthe faceof the-fixed valve disc 24;

The rotary valvedisc 25. hasa series. of ports 28 formed" therethrough. which are r arranged. in a' circle concentrically about-theaxis of rotation of therotary valve disc. 25'. These. valve ports 28 are spaced equal distances apart circumferentially, and Jasthe rotary. valvedisc 25 rotates, the valve ports 28succcssivelyregister withthe eviscerating intake port. 21!. Ila/should. be stated here'that thev rotary valve disc 2511s rotated continuouslywhen'the apparatus is in operation.

Disposed atone. side offthe apparatus isa fish conveyor" 29" which travels" continuously transversely or the apparatus; in ahorizontal plane. This conveyor is illustrated as" of' the endless chain type. However, it may be of the rotary type, if desired. Inasmuch as such fish conveyors are conventional and well known, only a portion of the upper flight thereof is here illustrated. It will suffice to say that it comprises endless chains or belts to which are fixed transversely arranged fish receiving blocks 3|) spaced equal distances apart and formed with longitudinal sockets 30a for receiving a fish with the visceral cavity downmost. The fish are placed one to a block with the severed head end innermost with respect to the apparatus, which end is substantially flush with the inner end of the block in which it is placed. 7

Prior to being delivered to the present apparatus, the fish is severed transversely at the head to remove the head and expose the end of the visceral cavity. It is this severed end that substantially aligns with the inner end of the block in which the fish is placed. The cavity 39a in each block 39 is so formed that the exposed end of the visceral cavity of the fish will substantially register with the port 20 as the conveyor conveys the fish past this port.

It is intended that as each block registers with the intake port 29 of the vacuum chamber H, that it will simultaneously register with a valve port 28 in the rotary valve disc 25. For this purpose the speed of operation of the conveyor 29 and the rotary valve disc 25 is closely synchronized. This is so that as the fish approaches the eviscerating intake port 20, it will register with a valve port 28in the rotary valve disc 25, and when the port 28 registers with the eviscerating intake port 20, the suction will eviscerate the fish and draw the viscera through the port 20 and deposit it in the vacuum chamber I. However, inasmuch as the conveyor and the disc 25 operate continuously and in synchronism, the port 29 will only be opened for intakeduring the time that the exposed end of the visceral cavity of the fish is in register therewith.

For the purpose of firmly holding the fish in position in .the cavities 30a of the fish conveying blocks 30 during the eviscerating operation, I provide a hold-down wheel 3i secured on a shaft 32 mounted on the apparatus as shown. This shaft is horizontally disposed and extends at right angles to the conveyor 29 and overlies the apparatus. The shaft is fitted with bearing blocks 33 which are vertically reciprocable but non-rotatable in fixed cross-head guides 34. These guides are mounted in a fixed position on the apparatus. This mounting of the shaft 32 enables the shaft and the wheel 3| to move vertically with respect to the conveyor and the remainder of the apparatus.

It will be noticed that the longitudinally extending and radially projectin arms of the wheel 3| are so formed that they may project into the sockets of the blocks 39. The spacing of the arms of the wheel 3| and the speed that it is driven enables an arm thereof'to register with the socket of each block 39 just before the latter reaches the evisceration station. The purpose of this is to enable the outer peripheral edges of the arm to engage a fish disposed in the socket 30a of the block 30 and hold the same firmly in position during the evisceration thereof.

The normal position of the shaft 32 and the wheel 3| is such that it will be disposed at a lower point than it will be disposed in the event that an arm thereon engages afish in a socket 30a in one of the blocks 30. That is to say, in the event that there is a fish in the socket 30a, en-

gagement of an arm of the wheel 3| therewith will cause the shaft 32 and the wheel 3| to elevate. In the event that there is no fish in the socket 3911 which registers with an arm, the wheel 3| will lower. I utilize this action to operate the slide valve 23 which, as illustrated, is connected with the shaft 32. When the shaft 32 and the wheel 3| are in their lowermost position, the slide valve 23 will be lowered to a point where it will close the port 29. However, if the shaft 32 and the wheel 3| are elevated by engagement of a fish with one of the arms of the wheel 3|, the slide valve 23 will be elevated (as illustrated in dotted lines) to uncover the port 20 of the vacuum chamber II. This prevents a loss of vacuum in the chamber H which would result in the event that no fish is presented for evisceration at the eviscerating station.

In Fig. '7 I have illustrated diagrammatically the drive for synchronously driving the wheel 3|, the conveyor 29 and the rotary valve disc 25. In that figure is also illustrated a drive for the rotary discharge member |9.

As before stated, when the evisceration has been completed, the viscera is deposited in the vacuum chamber and descends into the throat |4 thereof. It is seen that the rotary discharge member I9 is formed with four longitudinal pockets 35 which successively register with the opening through the throat H! of the vacuum chamber. The circumferential dimensions of these pockets 35 and their spacing relative to each other is such that at no time can there be communication between the atmosphere and the interior of the throat [4. Thus, as the discharge member I9 is continuously rotated, the pockets 35 successively register with the opening in the throat, receive viscera and discharge the same as the pocket emerges from the housing I5.

I prefer that the rotary discharge member |9 be fixed on a shaft 36 rotatably mounted in bearing blocks 31 vertically movable in fixed crosshead guides 38 formed as apart of the apparatus. Springs 39 constantly urge the bearing blocks 31 upwardly so as to at all times maintain a firm contact between the periphery of the member |9 and the bore l8 of the housing l5 and thereby prevent leakage therebetween. A by-pass conduit 40 is provided between the vacuum chamber and the bore |8 of the housing 5 soas to evacuate the pockets 35 just prior to the time that the same receive viscera from the vacuum chamber, Ialso provide a conduit 4| in communication with the bore H! to provide a water seal for preventing leakage of air. A conduit 42 communicates with the interior of the vacuum chamber and may be connected to a vacuum pump to constantly evacuate the same.

In operation of my improved apparatus, it is constructed and assembled substantially as described and a drive is established to the wheel 3|, the rotary valve disc 25 and the conveyor 29 so that the three operate in absolute synchronism. A drive is also established to the shaft 35 to operate the rotating discharge member IS. The driving of this member, however, does not have to be in any particular timed relation to the other driven elements. The fish are severed transversely and are disposed in the blocks 30 with the head end substantially registering with the inner ends of these blocks so that as the fish pass the port 20, the exposed end of the visceral cavity thereof will register therewith. Just prior to registration with the ports 20 a port 28 in the valve disc 25 will registerwith the exposed end of the visceral cavity and remain in such registration during the time that that exposed end of the visceral cavity passes into and out of registration with the port 2|]. Durin the latter registration the suction produced in the port 20 will eviscerate the fish, drawing the viscera through the port 20 and depositing into the vacuum chamber I l.

The apparatus is operated and synchronization of the various elements thereof is provided in the following manner: Power is provided by means of a motor 50 which is suitably geared by means not shown to a vertical shaft 51. The hold-down wheel 3| is rotated off of the shaft 5| through the medium of a gear reduction unit 52, a sprocket assembly 53, a chain 54, and a sprocket 55 secured to the shaft 32. The rotary disc valve 25 is driven off of the sprocket assembly 53 by means of a chain 56 and a sprocket 51 secured to the shaft 26. The conveyor blocks 30 are moved by the sprocket assembly 53, a chain 58 and a sprocket 59. The discharge member I9 is driven by means of a gear reduction unit 60, a sprocket 6|, a chain 62 and a sprocket 63 secured to the shaft 36.

I also desire to point out that prior to the time that the fish reaches the evisceration station, the fish therein will be engaged by one of the arms on the wheel 3| and the latter will be elevated with its shaft 32 suificiently to render the slide valve 23 ineffective to close the port 20. However, in the event that there is no fish in a socket, the wheel 3| and its shaft 32 will remain in lowered position, in which position the slide valve 23 will cover the port 20 and prevent the opening thereof.

As the viscera deposits into the vacuum chamber II, it will drop into a pocket 35 of the discharge member I9 and will be removed and discharged from the apparatus by said member IS without at any time opening the interior of the vacuum chamber II to the atmosphere.

From the foregoing it is obvious that I have provided a comparatively simple machine for effecting evisceration of fish, both rapidly and economically, in an operation that is entirely automatic.

While I have shown the preferred form of my invention, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in its construction by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus of the character described comprising a vessel adapted to hold a vacuum and having a suction port, a continuous fish conveyor having uniformly spaced fish holding means and so disposed as to convey fish to and past a suction station in alignment with said suction port, a rotatable disc valve disposed between said suction station and suction port and having a plurality of uniformly and circumferentially spaced valve ports so disposed as to register with said suction port, means for moving said conveyor, means for rotating said disc valve and means for synchronizing said moving and rotating means so as to register a valve port with said suction port when a fish is at said suction station.

2. Apparatus of the character described comprising a vessel adapted to hold a vacuum and having a suction port, a continuous fish conveyor having uniformly spaced fish holding means and 50 d posed as to convey fish to and past a suction station in alignment with said suction port, a rotatable disc valve disposed between said suction station and suction port and having a plurality of uniformly and circumferentially spaced valve ports so disposed as to register with said suction port, a slide valve and a rotatable holddown wheel supported for movement in unison to and from a position wherein said slide valve closes said suction port, said hold-down wheel having radially projecting arms and being so disposed as to be actuated by fish conveyed on said con-V veyor and to open said slide valve when a fish is at said suction station, means for moving said conveyor, means for rotatin said disc valve, means for rotating said hold-down wheel and means for synchronizing said moving and rotating means so as to register a valve port with said suction port when a fish is at said suction station.

3. Apparatus of the character described comprising a vessel adapted to hold a vacuum and having a suction port, a continuous fish conveyor having uniformly spaced fish holding means and so disposed as to convey fish to and past a suction station in alignment with said suction port, a rotatable disc valve disposed between said suc tion station and suction port and having a plurality of uniformly and circumferentially spaced valve ports so disposed as to register with said suction port, a slide valve and a rotatable holddown wheel supported for movement in unison to and from a position wherein said slide valve closes said suction port, said hold-down wheel having radially projecting arms and being so disposed as to be actuated by fish conveyed on said conveyor and to open said valve when a fish is at said suction station, means for moving said conveyor, means for rotating said disc valve, means for rotating said hold-down wheel and means for synchronizing said moving and rotating means so as to register a valve port with said suction port when a fish is at said suction station, a housing integral with the bottom of said vessel, a pocketed rotary discharge valve in air-tight engagement with said housing, and a by-pass conduit extending from said vessel to said housing whereby each pocket in said discharge valve is evacuated just prior to receiving viscera from said vessel.

THOMAS H. BRADLEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,134,529 Hauber Apr. 6, 1915 1,628,968 Gray May 17, 1927 1,689,670 Gray Oct. 30, 1928 2,326,146 Kurzbin Aug. 10, 1943 

